United News of Bangladesh

A five-member committee has been formed to investigate an attack on journalists carried out allegedly by activists of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) on the campus. The university administration is also preparing to file a case with Motihar Police Station over the incident, said University Proctor Prof Dr Mahbubur Rahman. On Sunday, 10 people including four journalists were injured in an attack allegedly by some leaders and activists of JCD in front of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall around 8:30 pm. Witnesses said JCD leaders and activists came to the hall gate from the university's Transport Market in a procession allegedly intending to attack the hall students’ union general secretary (GS) Ariful Islam. They were reportedly carrying locally made weapons, including machetes, cleavers, hockey sticks, pipes and baseball bats. When the university proctor arrived at the spot, the JCD activists hid the weapons, witnesses said. Journalists who approached the area to record video of the situation were then attacked. Witnesses said a Samakal correspondent was beaten with sticks in the presence of the proctor, while an attempt was also made to seize the mobile phone of an Ajker Patrika correspondent. The bdnews24.com correspondent was later allegedly assaulted. The proctor subsequently took the journalists inside the hall and locked the door for their safety. When other journalists arrived after hearing about the attack, The Daily Star and Agamir Shomoy correspondents were beaten. Zahidul Islam suffered a head injury. Journalists who tried to intervene were also allegedly threatened by the attackers. The incident reportedly stemmed from a dispute over comments made by JCD leader Ahsan Habib on a Facebook post concerning Rajshahi University Central Students' Union (RUCSU) GS Salahuddin Ammar. University Proctor Mahbubur Rahman said, “We failed. It was not possible for us to control the situation. We called the police, but the police also fled in fear.” Rajshahi University unit JCD President Sultan Ahmed Rahi said he had informed the central committee of the incident and that action would be taken against those responsible. In protest against the attack, journalists staged demonstration demanding that the university administration file a case against those accused, ensure their arrest, cancel the studentship of students involved in the attack and revoke the certificates of those who have already completed their studies. They have also demanded that people accused in the incident who are not university students be barred from entering the campus. They later withdrew their programme after the university administration assured them that a case would be filed by Monday. CCTV footage allegation Meanwhile, allegations have surfaced that CCTV footage from the site of the attack was deleted after the incident. The JCD unit on the campus and Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall Provost Dr Mahbubur Rahman have been accused of being involved in deleting the footage. Journalists alleged that important parts of the attack should have been captured by a CCTV camera installed in front of the hall. However, the footage was later found to be unavailable. They claimed the footage was deleted to conceal the identities of those involved in the attack and the actual circumstances of the incident. Denying the allegation, Hall Provost Mahbubur Rahman said the CCTV connection had been disconnected because renovation work was ongoing at the time. “So, there is no footage. The allegation that the footage was deleted is completely false,” he said. University Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Dr Abdul Alim, said the relevant information had been preserved. “Anyone can make allegations. There is no shortage of documents. The investigation committee is collecting information from the sources it needs to,” he said. Asked about the allegation that the CCTV footage had been deleted, or the hall provost’s claim that the connection had been disconnected, the pro-vice-chancellor declined to comment further.

Editor of the Bangla daily Prothom Alo Matiur Rahman on Wednesday vowed that the country’s newspaper community would stand united against any attack on any media outlet. “If any newspaper comes under attack, we will collectively resist it,” Matiur said at a programme held in front of the Prothom Alo office at Karwan Bazar, marking the inauguration of an art exhibition titled ‘An Artwork on the Attacked and Burnt Prothom Alo Building’ by artist Mahbubur Rahman. Recalling past incidents, Matiur Rahman said when newspapers such as ‘Jai Jai Din’ and ‘Amar Desh’ came under attack, the Editors’ Council had issued statements condemning the incidents. “Whatever newspaper faces any attack in the future, we will protest collectively,” he added. Admitting that the media had made mistakes in the past and may not always be flawless, Matiur Rahman said claiming absolute perfection would be unreasonable. “But we must remain united in the greater interest.” On December 18, a group of miscreants attacked, vandalised and set fire to the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in Karwan Bazar area of the capital. Speaking at the inauguration, Editor of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam said the arson attack on the country’s two leading newspapers was not an isolated incident but a premeditated one. Urging the new government to conduct a thorough investigation, he said those directly involved as well as those who instigated and fuelled the violence from behind must be identified and brought before the public. “This was not just an attack on two media outlets; it was an attempt to set fire to free thinking and independent journalism in the country,” he said. President of the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) AK Azad said no ideology can be destroyed by arson. “Prothom Alo could not be finished by fire. Like a phoenix, it has risen again with renewed vigour.” Journalists talk about responsibility but many dodge their own: Press Secretary Representatives of the Editors’ Council, NOAB, media organisations, journalists, business leaders, artists, writers and literary figures attended the event. The 10-day exhibition began on Wednesday and will continue until February 28. It will remain open to visitors daily from 11am to 1pm and 3pm to 5pm.

Two staffers of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) were arrested early Monday from capital’s Mohammadpur area in a case filed over attack on two  journalists in Rajshahi on September 5. The arrestees were BMDA storekeeper Md Jibon,22, and driver Abdus Sabur,47,  who were suspended in connection with the incident. Read:HC denies anticipatory bail to six over assault of Rajshahi journo The two absconding staffers were arrested around 4 am from a flat in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area in a drive conducted by a team of Rajpara police station, said Jahangir Alam, Officer-in-Charge of Rajpara police station. The arrestees will be brought to Rajshahi and then legal action will be taken against them, said the OC. On September, 5, reporter Bulbul Habib and camera person Rubel Islam of ATN News came under an attack on the premises of BMDA by it 15-20 staffs when they went there to collect information for news. Read: Two BMDA staffers suspended over Rajshahi journo attack Later, the reporter filed a case against seven identified people and 10 others unidentified at the local police station. The accused are BMDA’s Executive Director (ED) Md Abdur Rashid, storekeeper Md Jibon, ED’s Peon Selim, Personal Assistant Nurul Islam, office assistant Faruk, driver Abdus Sabur and Ansar member Enamul.

A case has been filed against 26 people including Banshkhali MP Mostafizur Rahman Chowdhury and the local municipal mayor for attack on journalists and freedom fighters in front of Chattogram Press Club.